SIX YEARS LATER
The morning light filtered through the grand windows of the Beaumont estate, casting golden hues across the pristine marble floors. The air inside was thick with the scent of fresh roses, an ever-present arrangement in the main hall. Vivian Beaumont stood by the balcony, her phone buzzing relentlessly in her hand. The headlines were everywhere.
Over the years, she has changed her surname from Alexander to her grandfather’s last name.
“Vivian Beaumont: The Young CEO Who Revived Beaumont Industries”
“A Legacy Restored: The Woman Who Brought a Dying Empire Back to Life”
“Beaumont’s Youngest Visionary: A Single Mother’s Triumph”
She exhaled slowly, scrolling through the countless articles praising her achievements. Her face was on every news outlet, every financial magazine, every social media platform. Reporters clamored to get an interview, investors sought meetings, and business moguls praised her brilliance. But beneath all the accolades, beneath the powerful image she had built over the years, lay a truth she rarely allowed herself to confront.
She missed him. Max. No doubt.
Vivian set her phone down and turned her gaze toward the gardens below, where a young girl in a pale pink dress played among the flowers. Her heart clenched at the sight. Emma. Her six year old daughter. The reason she had fought so hard, sacrificed so much.
Her six year old Emma giggled as she ran after a butterfly, her curly brown hair bouncing with each step. She had Vivian’s delicate features, but her sharp, piercing gray eyes-those belonged to him.
Vivian placed a hand on her chest, as if she could physically hold back the memories threatening to flood in. Six years. Six years since she had walked away, six years since she had lied to Max, severing every bond they had.
And now… here she was, on top of the world. A woman admired by many. A woman who had achieved everything she had set out to do.
So why did it feel so empty? Even with the Weight of Success
A knock at the door snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to see her grandfather, William Beaumont, stepping inside. At seventy-five, he still held an air of dominance, a man whose presence commanded attention. His once jet-black hair was now silver, but his sharp blue eyes remained as piercing as ever.
“I see your name is all over the news again,” he said, his deep voice laced with pride.
Vivian offered a small smile. “Seems that way.”
He walked over, standing beside her as he peered down at Emma in the garden. “You’ve done well, Vivian. The company is stronger than ever, the board respects you, and our rivals know better than to underestimate a Beaumont.”
She nodded, feeling the familiar weight of expectations settle over her shoulders. She had built a reputation that was nearly untouchable, but it had come at a cost.
Her grandfather studied her carefully. “You should be happy.”
“I am,” she lied.
He sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve always been a fighter, my dear. But I can see it in your eyes. You’re still looking for something.”
Vivian turned away. “I’m fine, Grandfather.”
A silence stretched between them before he finally spoke again. “And yet, you’ve been avoiding something for weeks now. You might as well tell me.”
She hesitated before finally meeting his gaze. “I want to go back to New York.”
His brows furrowed. “For what reason?”
“There’s an upcoming business program, a strategic leadership initiative. Some of the most powerful minds in the industry will be there. It’s an opportunity to expand our reach.”
William studied her for a long moment. “And that’s the only reason?”
She stiffened. Of course he saw through her. He always did.
Vivian forced a nod. “Yes.”
A knowing look crossed his face. He sighed but nodded. “Then go. But be careful, Vivian.”
She swallowed. “I always am.”
But as she walked away, heart pounding in her chest, she couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe-just maybe-this was fate pulling her back to where everything had begun.
Back to where she had left her heart.
****______****
That night, as the estate grew quiet, Vivian sat in her study, her fingers tracing the rim of a crystal glass filled with untouched whiskey. The city lights of London stretched beyond her window, but her mind was elsewhere.
She had spent years burying the past, but returning to New York meant facing it.
Facing him. Facing Max.
She didn’t know where he was now, what kind of life he had built. But she knew him. He wouldn’t have let go of what happened easily. He was never the type to simply accept things at face value.
Would he hate her if he saw her now?
Would he look at Emma and know?
A sharp pang shot through her chest. No. She had made her decision all those years ago. She had done what she had to do to protect Emma and her Mom. She had secretly taken her Mom along with her but the blame had been pushed to Alexander for abducting her yet no one knew.
And now… she had no right to want more.
Still, as she sipped the whiskey in her hand, one thought haunted her.
What if Max was still looking for the truth?
And what if, this time, she wouldn’t be able to stop him?